General mechanistic model of solid oxide fuel cells

A comprehensive model considering all forms of polarization was developed. The model considers the intricate interdependency among the electrode microstructure, the transport phenomena, and the electrochemical processes. The active three-phase boundary surface was expressed as a function of electrode microstructure parameters (porosity, coordination number, contact angle, etc.). The exchange current densities used in the simulation were obtained by fitting a general formulation to the polarization curves proposed as a function of cell temperature and oxygen partial pressure. A validation study shows good agreement with published experimental data. Distributions of overpotentials, gas component partial pressures, and electronic/ionic current densities have been calculated. The effects of a porous electrode structure and of various operation conditions on cell performance were also predicted. The mechanistic model proposed can be used to interpret experimental observations and optimize cell performance by incorporating reliable experimental data.